A GOOD INVESTING OPPORTUNITY „AIRPORT RUSE” A GOOD INVESTING OPPORTUNITY

City of Ruse is situated in the northern part of the Republic of Bulgaria. There is a railway, road and river port infrastructure developed here. For the moment being, there is the only bridge over the Danube river in the section shared by Bulgaria and Romania These, as well as other factors determine the location of the city of Ruse as the only naturally set transport hub, an intersection point for two pan-European transport corridors- -№7 (the river of Danube) and №9 (Helsinki - Kiev – Chişinău – Bucharest – Ruse – Alexandroupolis).

The Airport of Ruse is situated 18 kilometers away from the city itself, near the village of Shtraklevo. The Airport was built for military purposes and it was used as such until 1999. By an agreement between the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Transport since the beginning of the 70’s of the 20th century the airport was assigned to joint exploitation. During this period, a reception building, civil flights apron and other facilities were built-up.

Aircrafts of the type An-24, An-12, Tu-134, Tu-154 and Il-76 were accepted and serviced over the said period. Airport’s operative flying activity ceased in 1999. By a decision of the Council of Ministers dated 28 of February 2005, an area measuring 1 900 000 sq.m. was transferred to the Transport Ministry. By virtue of a later decision of the Council of Ministers, on 22 of December 2006 the Ruse Airport was announced an International Airport.

At this moment „Airport Ruse” is single member limited liability company, 100% state property. At the moment airport is closed for aviation activity due to lack of license issued from Bulgarian Civil Aviation Administration, аccording to the Bulgarian legislation

There is a concrete runway for takeoffs and landing built on the territory of the airport, with the following parameters: - length: 2500 meters (direction 05/23) - width: 50 meters - seven link (perpendicular) taxiways - one parallel taxiway along the entire length of the runway - PCN - 29 R/C/Y/T (no technical audit)

1. Runway 2. Perpendicular taxiways 3. Parallel taxiway 4. North apron 5. South aprons 6. Fuel depot 7. Passengers terminal 8. Perimeter border, according to Annex 14

View from east

View from west

View from north

View from runway

View from parallel taxiway

There are three autonomous aprons to the runway which are in store for the aircrafts’ maintenance- one to north of the runway, with an area of 10 000 sq.m. approximately, and two more to the south of it, measuring about 12 000 sq.m. International airport information is: ICAO code - LBRS IATA code - ROU Latitude: 43° 41’45” N Longitude: 26° 03’ 29” E Elevation: 187 m

There is a reception building to the airport which provides accommodation for passengers upon arrival as well on departure. The building is envisaged for the development of a restaurant, snack-bar, VIP- hall, also for offices and shops.

Terminal, view from south

Terminal, view from north

Terminal, view inside

The following technical infrastructure is available: - fresh water-supply system; - telephone installation of copper-cables, and an optical communication cable passing at about 0,8 km from the airport; - electricity supply provided, as well as a diesel power station; - a garage for the aircrafts’ maintenance equipment; - air-traffic control tower and other common buildings.

There is an industrial railway establishment for the purposes of fuel and oils. It is located at about 10 km away from the airport on an area of 40 000 sq.m.

At present, all the facilities at Ruse Airport are arranged in such a way that provide for the split servicing of the passenger and cargo flow, as the passages to both zones are autonomous and thus the crossing of the runway is prevented. The passengers’ service can be performed on the northern part of the runway. The cargo could be handled separately, on the southern part of the runway. It is possible for different-purpose warehouses to be constructed there, for reloading, for the needs of customs control, workshops etc.

1. Area for development of passenger’s terminal 2. Area for development of north apron 3. Area for development of south aprons 4. Area for development of cargo terminals 5. Area for development of fuel depot 6. Military area

Area for development of cargo terminals

The eventual development of the airport would provide opportunities for its exploitation in the following directions: To be used for passengers’ air transport; - rendering services to the cruise ships on the river of Danube. - offering services to low-cost companies (LCC). - reopening of the direct route Ruse-Sofia; - providing opportunities for owners of private airplanes. - providing charter transport services for the participants in cultural and other events on the territory of the city of Ruse. - guest hunter-tourists.

For the purposes of cargo transportation: -export of agricultural and special production. -transit import. -establishing of a re-loading centre. The remoteness of the airport from the main built-up areas and the clearance of the passages will provide for its usage during the twenty-four hour period. -establishing of a training centre.

Further activities: -for the purposes of transportation from and to the airport; -rendering services to the personnel and passengers- catering, restaurant, cafeterias, pharmacies, shops etc.; -hotel activities; -advertising;

Provided that the capacity of services which are to be offered to the clients increase during the working process, and with development of the airport there will arise the need of new areas to be integrated to the estate of the airport. The fastest possibility for such an action is the acquisition of the remaining part of the ex-military outfit, measuring about 1 500 000 sq.m., currently a property of the government. The railway line Ruse-Varna is about 6 kilometers away to the east of the runway and it would be possible for a connection between the airport and the railway network to be established on a later stage.

Summary SWOT Analysis of Ruse Airport 1.Strengths: -possibility for applying a flexible pricing policy; -clean approaches and lack of noise pollution in large populated areas; -part of a transportation hub providing all modes of transport; -lack of restitution claims; -consolidated state-owned areas in close proximity to the airport; -the airport is located in a region with a population of over 3 000 000 inhabitants (including Bucharest); -potential staff availability;

2.Weaknesses: -lack of operational worthiness; -road link with insufficient throughput; -lack of a railway link to the airport; 3.Opportunities: -to build a new terminal for passenger service; -to build cargo terminals; -to increase the technological capacity of the runway – its carrying capacity and length;

4.Threats: -existence of rival airports in the vicinity of Ruse Airport - Henri Coanda (Otopeni), Aurel Vlaicu (Baneasa) in Bucharest and new project BSIA - Bucharest South International Airport -nearest airports in Bulgaria - Gorna Oryahovitsa and Varna; -the challenge of the downward trend in air traffic worldwide and on the European scale.

All said above is to point out the possibility for the Ruse Airport to be developed as a well-established transport and information centre, to underline that it could acquire all the features of a logistic system; the synergic effect which will result from restoration of its exploitation will have positive effect on the economics of the entire region.

The city of Ruse is going to be one of the few cities having on its disposal all means of transport which would lead to its development as a main transport and distribution centre within the Republic of Bulgaria and not only, but around the Eastern Europe and the Near East, as well.